23rd November 2024

Cirencester Choral Society November 2024

Henry Purcell and Thomas Linley Jr
by Charles Woodd

Cirencester Choral Society

English Masters

Last Saturday, Cirencester Choral Society’s winter concert drew crowds to Cirencester Parish Church (despite the wind and weather!) for music that would delight
St. Cecilia on her festival day.

A sparkling programme featured music from two master English musicians.

Hail! Bright Cecilia was the fourth ode composed by Henry Purcell to the patron saint of music.  The music is virtuosic, full of runs, trills and cheeky counterpoint; it is writing for talented young voices just such as we delighted in from the excellent young soloists from the Royal College of Music.  Angelina Dorlin-Barlow, Francis Melville and Daniel Barrett were particularly strong in their story-telling, with the choir providing sure foundations – no easy feat in such dextrous music.

The second English master was a local boy, Thomas Linley, who was praised in his time by Mozart, but tragically died so young.  Let God Arise, written for the Three Choirs Festival when he was just 17, provides wonderful evidence of his talent.  Again, the soloists were superb, with the beautifully balanced soprano duet between Susanna Davis and Madeline Boreham a special highlight.  I also thoroughly enjoyed the control demonstrated by the choir in its confident rendition of the final movement; surely inspired by Handel’s Messiah?!

Cirencester Choral Society concerts always provide high-quality music for our town and it was a treat to have the period instruments of The Musical and Amicable Society Players so appropriately accompanying the excellent choir.  But particular congratulations must go to Thomas Hawkes, standing in as Guest Conductor for the evening, who danced the choir, orchestra and soloists through an evening of pleasure!  Recently appointed as Organist and Choir Master at the Parish Church, we look forward to many more musical extravaganzas from his baton over the coming months and years.

The next concert will include Rutter’s magnificent Magnificat on 3rd May 2025.